From June 16 -18, 2011, representatives from both the American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX) and the Southern Regional Testing Agency (SRTA), in cooperation with the Alpine Testing Agency, met in Atlanta, Georgia to begin the process of conducting a joint occupational task analysis. Held every 5-7 years the occupational task analysis surveys dentists and dental hygienists in all 50 states and determines what specific procedures dentists and dental hygienists are performing in order to validate what procedures are tested for on initial licensing examinations.
There were four panels consisting of: restorative and oral surgery; endodontics and prosthodontics; diagnosis, and treatment planning and periodontics; and dental hygiene. Each panel included a new practitioner (0 – 5 years of experience from ADEX and SRTA, an experienced practitioner (over 5 years of experience) from both ADEX and SRTA, and an educator from both ADEX and SRTA.
The panels were asked to provide input for the purpose of:
a. Consolidating ADEX's and SRTA's previous task analysis questionnaires
b. Providing feedback on additions, deletions, and revisions to the questionnaire for their primary section
c. Providing feedback on revisions to what other groups (e.g., operative, perio, pros, endo, hygiene) have produced in their
a. and b. steps.
The end result was to get us to a point where there would be a uniform questionnaire to then use for the survey of practitioners in dentistry and dental hygiene.
During the three days, the panels worked diligently and successfully to achieve these goals. Over the course of next several months, ADEX will keep you informed of the progress of the task analysis.
From June 16 -18, 2011, representatives from both the American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX) and the Southern Regional Testing Agency (SRTA), in cooperation with the Alpine Testing Agency, met in Atlanta, Georgia to begin the process of conducting a joint occupational task analysis. Held every 5-7 years the occupational task analysis surveys dentists and dental hygienists in all 50 states and determines what specific procedures dentists and dental hygienists are performing in order to validate what procedures are tested for on initial licensing examinations.
There were four panels consisting of: restorative and oral surgery; endodontics and prosthodontics; diagnosis, and treatment planning and periodontics; and dental hygiene. Each panel included a new practitioner (0 – 5 years of experience from ADEX and SRTA, an experienced practitioner (over 5 years of experience) from both ADEX and SRTA, and an educator from both ADEX and SRTA.
The panels were asked to provide input for the purpose of:
a. Consolidating ADEX's and SRTA's previous task analysis questionnaires
b. Providing feedback on additions, deletions, and revisions to the questionnaire for their primary section
c. Providing feedback on revisions to what other groups (e.g., operative, perio, pros, endo, hygiene) have produced in their
a. and b. steps.
The end result was to get us to a point where there would be a uniform questionnaire to then use for the survey of practitioners in dentistry and dental hygiene.
During the three days, the panels worked diligently and successfully to achieve these goals. Over the course of next several months, ADEX will keep you informed of the progress of the task analysis.